Original subtitles

.

NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY FOR A SAFARI THROUGH THE SAVANNAH ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

TODAY, WE'RE GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE MOST

FAMOUS FACES OF THE AFRICAN WILD LIKE THIS HULKING HERD THAT

FINDS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

PLUS, A SCALY SUNBATHER WHO CAN'T HELP BUT ENJOY ITS

WATERFRONT PROPERTY.

AND LATER, WE'LL MEET A MAMMAL THAT CERTAINLY "NOSE" HOW TO

DEFEND ITSELF.

BUT OUR JOURNEY BEGINS WHERE THE GROUND SHAKES FROM THE HEAVY

STEPS OF AFRICA'S BIGGEST SUPERSTARS.

THE ADVENTURE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AFRICA IS A TRULY INCREDIBLE REGION WITH SO MANY

OF OUR WORLD'S MOST ICONIC ANIMALS MAKING THEIR HOME WITHIN

ITS BORDERS.

WHILE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS ACROSS THE CONTINENT BOAST A

MYRIAD OF UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL SPECIES, IT IS THE

SAVANNAH THAT IS THE TRUE GEM OF AFRICA'S WILDLIFE.

IT'S A REGION PACKED WITH FAMOUS FACES THAT ARE FOUND NOWHERE

ELSE ON THE PLANET AND NEVER FAIL

TO IMPRESS AND AMAZE.

BEING A TRUE SUPERSTAR OF THE SAVANNAH IS NO EASY TASK; IT

TAKES WORK AND RESILIENCE.

ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES IS THE ELEPHANT WHO MUST PUT IN

OVERTIME WHEN IT COMES TO MEALTIME TO KEEP UP ITS

STAGGERING SIZE.

WITH ITS IMPRESSIVE BULK AND CONSTANT MOVEMENT, AN ELEPHANT

MUST EAT 200 TO 600 POUNDS OF FRESH FOOD A DAY.

AND THAT'S AN UNCHALLENGEABLE RECORD.

[MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: AN ADULT ELEPHANT IS CAPABLE OF UPROOTING A TREE AND

CLEARING AWAY BRANCHES THAT MIGHT BLOCK ITS PASSAGE.

THIS BABY ELEPHANT IS ALREADY AWARE OF ITS STRENGTH AND HAS

THE FEELING THAT NOTHING CAN STOP IT.

BUT IT'S AT THE FOOT OF THE ELEPHANT THAT WE FIND A CHAMPION

OF PURE STRENGTH.

FOR ITS SIZE, THE DUNG BEETLE IS THE STRONGEST INSECT IN THE

WORLD, CAPABLE OF SHIFTING A MASS

1,141 TIMES ITS OWN WEIGHT.

[MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THESE BEETLES ARE ROLLING AS BEST THEY CAN A BALL

MADE UP OF ANIMAL WASTE AND CLAY.

WHATEVER OBSTACLE IT MAY ENCOUNTER, THE DUNG BEETLE

ALWAYS MAKES A STRAIGHT LINE TOWARDS ITS OBJECTIVE,

TAKING THE SHORTEST PATH.

THE DUNG BEETLE'S JOURNEY CROSSES THE HUNTING GROUND OF A

VERVET MONKEY WHO IS HARD AT WORK FEASTING ON WIND INSECTS.

THIS DINNER PARTY ATTRACTS A STRIPED CUCKOO.

AND A MONITOR LIZARD AS WELL.

AND WE ARE WATCHING A VERITABLE COMPETITION BETWEEN A REPTILE,

A BIRD, AND A MAMMAL.

THE WINNER IS THE ONE THAT SHOWS THE MOST SKILL IN CATCHING THE

MOST VICTIMS.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THERE ARE SO MANY INSECTS THAT STATISTICALLY THEY

HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF ESCAPING FROM THEIR GREEDY PREDATORS.

HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT OUT OF TROUBLE YET.

THIS TRAP WAS LAID BY THE TROPICAL TENT-WEB SPIDER, A

SPECIES OF COMMUNAL SPIDER.

WHEN AN INSECT IS CAPTURED, AN ENTIRE LITTLE TEAM WORKS ON

BRINGING THE VICTIM INTO THE HEART OF THE NEST.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THESE SPIDERS, THAT ARE LESS THAN AN INCH LONG, BUILD

GIGANTIC WEBS THAT ARE SEVERAL SQUARE FEET ACROSS; A

PERFORMANCE THAT ENTITLES THEM, CONSIDERING THEIR SIZE, TO BE

MEMBERS OF A GREAT TEAM--THE SUPERSTARS OF THE SAVANNAH.

WHEN WE COME BACK, SIZE AND BULK MAKE THE PERFECT CUDDLING

CONDITIONS AMONG THESE HERBIVORES.

AND GET A LOOK AT SOME REAL REPTILE R&R.

PLUS, A MUSCLE-BOUND MAMMAL YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO MESS WITH.

ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS FEATHERY NATIVE MAY SEEM LIKE JUST ANOTHER BIRD, BUT

IT IS IN FACT AN IMPORTANT PART OF EACH HERD OF MAMMALS

IN THE SAVANNAH.

IT'S THE RED-BILLED OXPECKER AND IT'S THE BEST FORM OF PEST

CONTROL IN THE AFRICAN WILD.

THE OXPECKER HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF VERY CURVED AND SHARP CLAWS

WHICH HOOK ON LIKE A MOUNTAINEER'S CRAMP-ONS TO THE

SKIN OR FUR OF ANIMALS WHILE THEY GO ABOUT

THEIR CLEANING SERVICE.

THE ANIMAL CAN SHAKE ITS HEAD AND START WALKING, BUT THE

OXPECKER HANGS ON TIGHTLY AND CARRIES ON EATING REGARDLESS.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: ITS BEAK WORKS LIKE A PAIR OF SCISSORS, CLIPPING AWAY

AT GREAT SPEED.

IN SEQUENCES LASTING ONE MINUTE, IT DIGS OUT AND SWALLOWS

HUNDREDS OF PARASITES.

THIS ACCOMMODATING AVIAN LIVES ON MOST OF THE GREAT MAMMALS

WITH ONE EXCEPTION--THE ELEPHANT.

BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHERS WILLING TO TAKE PART.

IT'S PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE ON THE BUFFALO AND DOESN'T WORRY

ABOUT GETTING CRUSHED IN THE MIDDLE OF

ALL THOSE TONS OF MUSCLE.

THE BUFFALO HAS A STRANGE HABIT; WHEN RESTING, IT NEEDS TO BE IN

CONTACT WITH ITS FELLOWS.

HERE, WHERE EACH CREATURE CAN HOPE FOR A BIT OF ROOM AND

PEACE, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE HERD PREFER TO STICK VERY

CLOSELY TO EACH OTHER; UNIQUE BEHAVIOR AMONG

THE LARGE MAMMALS.

THE BUFFALO IS THE UNRIVALED STAR OF TOGETHERNESS.

CONTINUALLY ASSAULTED BY PARASITES, THE ANIMAL DOES ALL

IT CAN TO RELIEVE THE ITCHING.

IDEALLY, THE BEST CURATIVE AND PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT IS THE

MUD BATH AND MOST OFTEN, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BATH IS A

BIT ON THE SMALL SIDE, IT'S THE LARGE MALES THAT TAKE PRIORITY.

THIS BIG BUFFALO IS TAKING HIS TIME.

HE HAS NO REASON TO HURRY.

HE'S BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL THAN THE OTHERS WHO WILL JUST

HAVE TO WAIT PATIENTLY THEIR TURN.

WATCHING THIS BATH TIME SCENE, WE MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO CHOOSE

THE BUFFALO AS THE CHAMPION OF DISCIPLINE OR COURTESY.

THE BUFFALO IS AN ANIMAL WHOSE STATUS MARKEDLY

MODIFIES ITS BEHAVIOR.

WHILE ALL BUFFALOS GO TO THE WATER EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY

HAVE TO DRINK, ONLY THE SEDENTARY OLD MALES WHO LIVE

OUTSIDE THE HERD HAVE A REGULAR BATH THERE.

APART FROM THE ELEPHANT AND OF COURSE THE HIPPOPOTAMUS, THERE

ARE VERY FEW MAMMALS WHO IMMERSE THEMSELVES COMPLETELY LIKE THIS.

HERE, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AN UNLIKELY

SWIMMING COMPETITION.

A BUFFALO CAN WEIGH UP TO 1,700 POUNDS AND CAN MEASURE ALMOST 5

FEET FROM THE TIP OF ONE HORN TO THE OTHER.

IT IS THE UNRIVALED CHAMPION IN THE BOVINE CATEGORY,

AND IT'S A TITLE THEY TAKE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

UP NEXT, WE'LL FIND OUT THE FASTEST WAY TO TAKE THINGS SLOW.

AND A NOSY NATIVE TAKES CENTER STAGE ALONG THE RIVERBANK.

BUT FIRST, IT'S TIME FOR WILDLIFE A--Z.

GORILLAS ARE ONE OF NATURE'S MOST RECOGNIZABLE CREATURES,

CAPTIVATING THE MASSES AS THE LARGEST OF THE GREAT APES.

IN THE WILD, THESE MAJESTIC ANIMALS ARE EXCLUSIVELY FOUND IN

AFRICA, MAKING THEIR HOMES IN MOUNTAINS AND LOWLAND FORESTS.

HOWEVER, GORILLAS ARE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

SO MANY RESIDE IN PROTECTED AREAS AND ACCREDITED ZOOS.

BUT WHETHER IN NATURE OR IN PROFESSIONAL CARE, GORILLAS ARE

ALL ABOUT HIERARCHY.

THE TROOP RELIES ON A SILVERBACK, AN ALPHA MALE, TO

MAINTAIN PEACE AND PROTECT THE GROUP.

MEANWHILE, CHILD-REARING IS A TASK SHARED BY ALL.

IT'S A PRACTICED AND PERFECTED METHOD FOR SURVIVAL NO MATTER

WHERE THEY CALL HOME.

THERE'S MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY" COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

I'M HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO WITH DR. MIKE ADKESSON AND WE'VE GOT

SOPHIA THE LEOPARD TORTOISE.

SO, THESE ANIMALS ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE SAVANNAH WHICH SEEMS

PRETTY HOT FOR A TORTOISE.

HOW DO THEY STAY COOL?

DR. MIKE: YEAH, SO THEY STAY COOL A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

BURROWING DOWN A LITTLE BIT, FINDING SPOTS OF SHADE NEXT TO

ROCKS OR EVEN JUST KIND OF DUG DOWN INTO THE GRASS.

DYLAN: SO, I KNOW THERE'S TORTOISES, THERE'S TURTLES,

THERE'S TERRAPINS.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL THREE?

DR. MIKE: SO, TORTOISES LIKE THIS LEOPARD TORTOISE ARE GONNA

BE LAND-BASED ANIMALS.

TURTLES ARE THE MORE AQUATIC, FRESHWATER, SEA TURTLE.

SHE'S GOT A LOT OF HARD SCALES ON THE FRONT OF HER LEGS HERE,

BUT THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S INSIDE HER SHELL

IS NICE AND SOFT.

DYLAN: SO GREAT.

DR. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOW BACK TO OUR SHOW.

LEOPARD TORTOISES AREN'T THE ONLY SHELL-BOUND STARS OF THE

AFRICAN SAVANNAH.

THIS IS A SHARP-CLAWED TURTLE, STAKING ITS CLAIM DOWN AT THE

WATERING HOLE.

IT'S A TERRAPIN, AN AQUATIC SPECIES THAT LOVES TO LAZE

AROUND ON THE ROCKS IN THE SUN.

THE FEMALES OF THE SPECIES ARE BIGGER THAN THE MALES.

THEIR SHELL CAN MEASURE MORE THAN A FOOT AND A HALF, AND THEY

WEIGH NEARLY 15 POUNDS.

AS THE DAY WEARS ON, THEY ALTERNATE RESTING ON DRY LAND

AND SWIMMING.

THIS TURTLE FEEDS ESSENTIALLY IN THE WATER WHERE IT FINDS SNAILS,

SMALL FISH, CRABS, AND FROGS.

THIS ONE IS CHURNING UP THE RIVERBED LOOKING FOR DECOMPOSING

MATTER LEFT BEHIND BY CROCODILES, ONE OF

ITS MAIN PREDATORS.

BUT IT'S WHEN ITS AROUND BUFFALO THAT THE TERRAPIN STANDS OUT FOR

ONE VERY ORIGINAL FEEDING HABIT.

IT EATS THE TICKS THAT IT FINDS ON THE BUFFALO'S BACKS.

THE TINY CREATURES ARE OFTEN A LITTLE HIGH AND NOT EASY TO GET

AT, BUT THE TERRAPINS DON'T GIVE UP AND ARE EXTREMELY PATIENT.

AT SOME POINT, THERE ARE BOUND TO BE A FEW TICKS THAT COME

WITHIN REACH, THEY JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE BUFFALO

TO MOVE A BIT.

THERE'S NO DANGER FOR THEM IN THIS BECAUSE THE BUFFALO

APPRECIATES THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO ITS HYGIENIC WELLBEING.

TO HAVE A SCRATCH HERE OR THERE, ANIMALS USE

ANYTHING THAT'S AVAILABLE.

TREE TRUNKS.

BRANCHES.

OR, EVEN ROCKS.

PARADOXICALLY, BIRDS USE DUST TO CLEAN THEMSELVES.

NOT ONLY DOES THE CLOUD OF DUST GET RID OF PARASITES,

IT'S MAINLY TO ABSORB THE EXCESS NATURAL OILS

FROM THEIR FEATHERS.

THE HONEY BADGER SCRATCHES IN A CLASSIC AND VERY EFFICIENT

WAY--BY USING ITS LONG CLAWS.

IN THE LIST OF TOILETRY AND HYGIENE ACCESSORIES, ONE THING

IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT AMONG THE HERBIVORES--AND THAT'S THE TAIL.

IT'S PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR SWATTING AWAY THE FLIES

THAT IT ATTRACTS.

TAILS ARE AS UNIQUE AS THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES.

SOME ARE SHORTENED, CUT OFF QUITE HIGH,

LIKE THIS GIRAFFE'S.

THIS ELDERLY MALE HAS SOME OLD SCARS.

THEY'RE NOT MARKS LEFT BY SOME PREDATORS' ATTACKS, BUT THE

RESULTS OF HIS CONFRONTATIONS WITH OTHER MALE GIRAFFES.

IT'S LIVING PROOF THAT LIFE IN THE WILD COMES WITH PLENTY OF

CHALLENGES, EVEN AMONG FAMILY.

COMING UP, WE'LL MEET A MASSIVE MAMMAL WITH A POINT TO PROVE.

THAT AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SMALL OR LARGE MAMMALS, REPTILES OR BIRDS, NO PLACE IS

MORE SOCIAL THAN THE LOCAL WATERING HOLE.

IT'S THE DAILY TRAINING GROUND FOR THESE SUPERSTARS TRYING TO

KEEP FIT.

THE ELEPHANT IS HAPPY ANYWHERE AS LONG AS THERE'S WATER.

THAT'S THE ONLY FACTOR HALTING THEIR SPREAD

ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

ELEPHANTS CAN DRINK UP TO 50 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY, SO

IT'S NO WONDER THEY PREFER TO STAY WHERE THE WATER

IS IN AMPLE SUPPLY.

THIS IS THE FIRST IN A WHOLE SERIES OF ANIMAL WORLD RECORDS

ELEPHANTS CLAIM.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC WITH NATURE SOUNDS]

DYLAN: IT HEADS FOR WATER AT THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE DAY

BECAUSE IT HAS A PRESSING NEED FOR REFRESHMENT.

ITS DARK SKIN ABSORBS A VAST NUMBER OF CALORIES AND PROVIDES

NO INSULATION.

SO, TO LOWER ITS TEMPERATURE, THE ELEPHANT RELIES ON WATER AND

ON ITS HEAVILY-VEINED EARS.

THE EARS OF AN ADULT CAN MEASURE 5 FEET BY 3 FEET IN SIZE;

THEY'RE THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD.

THE ELEPHANT'S TRUNK IS IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN BECAUSE IT'S

UNIQUE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THIS ENORMOUS AND HIGHLY-USEFUL APPENDAGE IS MADE UP OF AN

UNEQUALED NUMBER OF MUSCLE FIBERS,

MORE THAN 40,000 IN ALL.

THIS IS WHAT GIVES THE TRUNK ITS INCOMPARABLE

FLEXIBILITY AND SKILL.

THE BIGGEST TERRESTRIAL MAMMAL, IT WEIGHS IN AT MORE THAN

10,000 POUNDS.

THE ELEPHANT HAS NO COMPETITION IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT CATEGORY.

THE CLOSEST CHALLENGER, BUT STILL A LONG WAY BEHIND,

IS THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

AT BIRTH, THE HIPPO WEIGHS ONLY ABOUT 90 POUNDS, BUT IT GROWS

QUICKLY AND AT A YEAR OLD, A BABY LIKE THIS ONE ALREADY

WEIGHS A QUARTER OF A TON.

THE WEIGHT OF AN ADULT HIPPOPOTAMUS VARIES CONSIDERABLY

ACCORDING TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

A MALE WEIGHS FROM 1 TO 3 TONS, OR MORE THAN 6,000 POUNDS.

BUT A FORMIDABLE FEMALE CAN WEIGH MORE THAN

AN ORDINARY MALE.

THIS MEANS THAT IT'S OFTEN DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH MALE

FROM FEMALE FROM A DISTANCE.

IN THIRD PLACE ON THE HEAVYWEIGHT PODIUM IS

THE WHITE RHINOCEROS.

IN FACT, IT HAS A MORE IMPRESSIVE MASS THAN THE HIPPO,

BUT IT WEIGHS LESS.

A MALE WEIGHS ABOUT 2 TONS--THAT'S A TOP RANKING AMONG

THE SPECIES.

BUT THE RHINO'S MASS ISN'T THEIR SIGNATURE TRAIT.

THE FRONT HORN ON A RHINOCEROS MEASURES ON AVERAGE ABOUT 2 FEET

LONG, HELPING THE RHINO MAKE A POINT OF STANDING OUT, USING ITS

MOST INTIMIDATING FEATURE.

THIS COLLECTION OF INCREDIBLE AFRICAN CREATURES NEVER CEASES

TO AMAZE, GIVING THEM THE WELL-DESERVED TITLE OF

SAVANNAH SUPERSTARS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY ON OUR AFRICAN ADVENTURE.

FEW PLACES ON EARTH HAVE A MORE VIBRANT AND DIVERSE

COMMUNITY OF WILDLIFE.

WITH MORE THAN 1 MILLION ANIMAL SPECIES CALLING THIS CONTINENT

HOME, IT'S NO WONDER THAT SOME OF OUR PLANET'S BIGGEST

SUPERSTARS CAN BE FOUND HERE THRIVING IN THE LUSH WARM

EMBRACE OF THE SAVANNAH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF

"EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]